1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to a health monitoring apparatus, and more specifically to a system method for medical information mining and delivery.
2. Description of the Related Art
A subject's health status is typically evaluated by reference to a plurality of vital signs that may include, for example, pulse rate, respiration rate, temperature, blood oxygen saturation, weight, and body hydration. Additional considerations include observations as to subject appearance and movement. These latter factors are also indicative of the subject's mental health, e.g., cognitive ability. Other cues are the degree of animation, compliance with responsibilities such as self-medication, forgetfulness, socialization, participation in individual or group activities, and the like.
In traditional long term care facilities, these indices are measured and observed by caregivers. While measurements are sometimes recorded, only a small portion of the observations are retained in the institution's memory. This fact is especially true in the case of cognitive health cues.
Care giving personnel serve the critical role of observing and preserving the meaning and functionality of health data. Interacting with a patient over a period of time, a caregiver learns a great deal about the habits and individual health trends of that patient. The large volumes of observed data provide evidence to support the diagnostics of health care professionals. Raw data pertaining to a subject's health status provides the context in which present parameter values can be assessed.
With the frequent turnover of caregivers, this context is minimized or lost unless the observed information has been reduced to writing for the new personnel. Typically, only a small fraction of the total observed data is recorded. Sub-clinical observations are frequently useful in assessing the subject's health status, especially cognitive abilities. These data include the subject's demeanor, alertness, regularity, and mobility. The common denominator is that these characteristics change gradually. They are therefore less noticeable to new personnel, who have not observed the subject over time and are not familiar with these characteristics.
Caregiver turnover is in part a result of the constant pressure care givers are under to record and understand the daily routines of the subjects. By tailoring the information acquisition and feed back to their personal abilities and needs this pressure is reduced and they are able to experience more job satisfaction, thus reducing turnover.
Short institutional memory produces a lengthening of the time before caregivers or other health professionals become cognizant of a slow decline in a subject's health status. The delay in appreciating a decline causes a corresponding delay in responding to the health deterioration of the subject. As a result, the quality of health care received by a subject may be degraded.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other disadvantages of the conventional art.